Vehicle roof structure



March 2, 1937. G. TRAuTvETTl-:R

VEHICLE ROOF1 STRUCTURE Filed Jan. `les, 1934 m. T Y. .9 E 1. V T /V n MH 1|, 1 W m O/ A ..0 11 11m G 7. .11. 5 .m n El E n v. L11111111u1111111 l i B M L 11 1 1111:

- the all-steel variety, for automobiles and the like, audit has for its objects the more effe'ctive' sealliatentedl I `QNiiiial) irATENT Orrick: y ,....i:;f,.....y

George Trautvetter, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner;

to Edward G. .Budd Manufacturing'Company, Philadelphimlla., a corporation of Pennsyl- My invention is a 'oof structure, particularly of ingof such a paneled roof, rendering it n'eater in appearanceJacilitatlng fabrication, spot welcl-iv 1 ing and assembly, preventingdrumming, and

providing a 'structure that -shall'b'esimple and durable in constructiomeconomical to manufacture and effective in its operation. y

With such objectsln View, as well as other adfvantages-which maybe incident to the 'utiliza- Y .tion of the improvementsuch as preventing 'corrosion, plecludingready injury by tearing, as in 'fabric roof panels, facilitating mounting of the upholstery and rendering repair easier, the `in ventionV cbisistsin the parts and combination thereof hereafter setgforth and claimed, with the understanding that .the -,several necessary ele-V ments constitutingthe same may be varied in proportion, arrangement and texture without de` parting from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

In particular, the, body of a car has a sheet metal roof header-comprising, as is usual in this practice, a sheet metal die stamping having an outerv perimeter, merging through gradual curves i between'the upright sides and the roof "contour of the body, the header being, intop-.plan view,

` construction.

on the order of a closed loop having a centralV ,aperture of generally rectangular shape,A forthe reception of amain roof or panel; the structure,

asso far generally described, being of` us However, in accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the header has,rat its inner vperimeter edge, a depending flange of peculiar section configuration, defining successively, from its position of departure fromthe regular roof configuration, a depending wall, 'which forms adja- -centvto `the frame therebelow a top opening channel, then rises slightly and continues toward the center of the -panel opening to form a generally horizontal shoulder below the roof level, then descendsifurther and finally has a horizontal bottom stop or 'angep The panel of my invention is constructed simi--A lar to the outer panel of a sheet metal cai-door, having an outer surface shapedto the contour f ofthe roof andan outer edge flange crimped about a sheet metal frame or element of Zfsection whereby a laminating oteredge" of relatively thin, but strong, section is adapted to lie over the above mentioned channel 'and shoulder of the inner frame ange in ush relation to the header but spaced therefrom entirely about its perimeter.

The middle leg of the Z-section forms a wall op.

Application Janin-y i6, 1934, No. 7061796 i1 cani. (ci. ass-137'.) t

posite a corresponding jwall off-the frame, but in spaced relation thereto, and-has an inner or bottom leg or ange adapted to rest on, and be secured tothe inner horizontal flange of the frame, asby nuts and bolts, where it is desired that the panel be easily removable, but preferably by spot welding for1 ,which this structure is particularlyV well adapted. r i l A seal element, preferably. in the form of a ring or frame of adhesive material, such as a plastic non-hardening ,weather-proof cement, several over the shoulder, and an upright legbetween the aforesaid walls of the header and the roof.4 'Ihe panel thus contacts the frame only at its bottom portion, inwardly of the youter surface @of the header, against the bottom flange of the,`

frame, and the extreme edge flange of the panel'V presses downwardly against the sealing element to force-it into the channel andin and about the adjacent parts; this sealing material being chosen to form, when set, a permanent bead or sealing edge between the spaced adjacent edges of the frame and the panel.

'- roof, a horizontal arm in the header channel and 30 Cross channels and adherent sheets of solmdde'adening material are also preferably formed Aon rthe under surface of the panel, to prevent drumming, and to permit mounting the ceiling upholstery on the channels. The structure ren'-v ders the roof frame and the panel readily manufacturable by simple dies and simple stamping A operations, facilitates spot welding the parts,

renders the panel an entirely separate and complete unit, which need not be mounted until the car body has been assembled,l insures a perfect and durable seal, facilitates repair, enhancesrthe appearance of the vehicle -to a high degree, renders the roof soundproof, conduces to readymounting of .the upholstery'and has other advantages.

The invention will be better understood from a .consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which: A v Figure 1 is a. top plan view of an automobile roof structure embodying the invention;

Figs. 2, Sand 4 are views takenY along the lines 2 2, 3--3 and 4 4 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 showing a. slight modiiicatlon of the invention, and

'held outwardly in position by the metal-t Vparts of the frame,

material.

In mounting the panel, the-materiall IB `is .in effecting slight adjustments or f Fig. 511s a -view similar to Fig; 2, ofa substan-f ,tial modification ofthe parts.

tour having-widely rounded corners, and of a usual bowed contour infelevation; the central or panel-receiving opening thereof also .being of round-corner generally-rectangular plan contour, but having the sides slightly curved, as are the sides of the header, in accordance with a present style. v

As seen more clearly in Fig. 2the inner per imetral edge bf the header 6 has.a depending flange of peculiar conformation, generally -of Z- section, dropping into a top opening channel 1, then rising and extending alonga shoulder B not so high asthe top of the frame, then descend` ing through a wall portion 9 and terminating in a bottom'f'fhoriz'ontal shelf or step I-Il; this configuration requiring simple dies and 1effectively Working the metal.

AThe panel' comprises a top layer I2, substantially flush with the 'top surface of the frame 6 ed to the shelf Il), the step I1' and having an edge margin I4 crimpeddownwardlyl around its perimeter and backfalong the contour of the 'roof about one leg I5 of an element of Z-section. which further comprises el middle leg or wall' I6 spaced .oppositethe wall 9 and a bottom step or flange .I1 resting on the shelf I0; this structure also being5along simple die stamping lines, requiring only simple dies andworking A.the metal to advantage.

In the-4 proportion and relation of the parts vshown the top,layer or metal roof panel I2 is engagement between the parts I0 'and outer perimetral` contour, the panel is substantially smaller than the adjacent whereby to .accommodate asubstantial bod I8,of a thick adhesive Asealing placed generallyl in position abo'ut the frame, to, a quantityl such that it will be pressed by the panel into close adherence and'conformlty to the adjacent-parts downwardly for a limited distance between the :lamb wall portions 9 and I6, downwardly into the channel 1 and upwardly between the' outermost adjacent edges between the panel andgtheframe. By providing the channel 1, it has been found that the sealing material I8 forms a more perfect seal free from blobs or iissures and insures that at least one entire perimetral zone of the sealing material will be liquid tight; the reason probably being that, when the sealing material is*v once Ypressed downwardly into the' subsequent movement of the panel in the roofl plane, if such movement occur or -be necessary thepanel,- th'e material at the bottom of the channel doesnot 'n'ove and, being of a tenacious character, clings o the remainder, thereof/which'-may tend toV move. Also, the increased body. or bulkpf the' fright and horizontal receive avpanel 3I, -metal 1 with the outer face thereof a smooth continuation of; Athe contour of the outer face of the adjacent' header 6, but,' in

bottom of' the channel 1,;

material at the' channel probably reduces stresses in it and provides a. volume thereof bywhich, )under pressure,

narrower passages thereto. It is provided in,v

it readily chokes the .adjacent such.` quantity, and ofvsuch character. that Yit will preferably press a substantial distance down.- wardly between the) jamb walls 9 and I6, and remain clear ofv the engaging parts I0 and I1, which are spot wise secured.

Channel elements or beams I9, which maybe iilled with wood ZI), or other material, as indicated in Fig. 3, are provided to prevent drumming of the sheetmetal panel, end also, to constitute surfaces of thel welded, or other# bases upon which elements 2I for holding an upholstery'layerkZZ may be secured to the beams, as by tacks 23; a heavy paper layer 2l also being provided between the panel layer I2 and the beams I9, end secured in positionas by a heavy asphaltic or other adhesive materialadhering to the steel andto the paper.

As shown in Fig. 4, instead of being spot weldis removably secured thereto, asby spacer nuts 26, lock washers 21 and bolts 28, this construction being a modication by ,which the panel may more readily .be removed. The side of the channel 1 adjacent to the layer 6 together with the bottom of the channel andthe shoulder 8, form a structure of substantiallyL-section, as do the-parts 9 and III.

`In 'Fig.'5, portions 29 and 30, ,forming the uparms of a simple L-section,

its outer perimetral edge. The flange 32 may be spot'welded to a rim member 35 of L-section,

thus forming a flange corresponding to the flange I1 andresting on the flange 30'.

What I claim is:

In a vehicle, a sheet metal roof-supporting header of double angle, vertical cross-section provding upper and lower rabbets-with vertical and horizontal walls, the upper rabbet having a topopening channelinthehori'zontal bottom wall next the sidewall, a sheet metal roof panel having a marginal edge lying in -the said upper'rabbet with tits' upper surface flush with. the upper surfaceof the header and its peripheral edge and lower marginal surface spaced away from t vertical rabbet, av resting directly on the bottom the lower-rabbet with its 'peripheral edge portion spaced away from the side wall of the lower rabbet; said relation of parts forming a Z`section Space between the header and the roof panel.. and a thick Z-s'ection body of adherentwaterwhich .is also of simplified. section, having merely a right-angle gauge :watg

A and horizontalwalls, respeetively,.of e upper I depending portion on the roof panelv horizontal wall of- 

